Mineral: Halite with Sylvite
Locality: Kerr McGee Mine, 10th ore zone, 'frozen blue' seam, Carlsbad Potash District, Eddy County, New Mexico, USA
Dimensions: 19 x 14 x 11 cm / main crystal: 8.2 cm.

Description: Mass: 1420 g MIM number: 1367 Probable year of extraction : 2012 Large, transparent cubic crystals of halite in a beautiful dark bluish-purple with colorless, transparent crystals of sylvite (6.6 cm max). It might be the natural radioactivity of the potassium in the sylvite which, over millions of years, created colored centers in the neighboring halite, thus giving it this rare color. Photographer: AINU / Augustin de Valence Publications: "Mineralogical Record: Jan-Feb 2013", "101 Minéraux et Pierres Précieuses qu'il faut avoir vus dans sa vie", "Minéraux - Le Guide des Passionnés"

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